Most of us are oblivious of the idiosyncrasy we face on a daily basis with our vehicles, a squeak here a rattle there. We just chuck it up to “I told the mechanic about this when I took the car in and it didn’t make the noise, not even once!” We have all been there, but here is a quick solution guide to deciphering what these mystical noises can be and where they originate.

Sometimes that little buzzing or rattling might be annoying, but it does not suggest that this might not be the preamble to a bigger issue down the road. Repairing cars can be inexpensive if you catch the problem in the early stages, once the engine has fallen apart, it gets very costly. Would it surprise you to know that a large percentage of car crashes are by faulty machinery, everything from transmissions going out to breaks failing and tires being a top contender.

Lots of cars on the road today have hydraulic steering such as the Jaguar X- type from 2004. When this needs more fluid it begins to squeak and whine when the steering wheel is turned. It is almost like the car is whinnying and complaining that it has indeed taken this long.

I order to keep your car running smoothly, in order to get the most resale value on your vehicle, you should become familiar with preventative maintenance. Preventative/routine maintenance like oil changes and brake adjustments and tire rotation and balancing. It is not every Dick and Harry that can understand the complexity of a car engine, but suffice it to say that there are many parts. Parts that need special oils, filters, belts and have to work with a sort of process to propel moment forward.

If you regularly take your car to get the oil changed, if your tires are wearing in a balanced way, then you can even extend the life of your tires a little longer.

What to look for and listen for:

A whislte of a hissing sound, will probably occur after the car is started, maybe even some smoke.
The next time this happens, ditch your date and your plans and take your car to the mechanic, this is not a good sign and could end up being very costly in the future.

If you are in Houston and your car is growling, you might be revered as a tough guy. Unfortunately, you might hear this because of some lose thread on your tires, which can be very scary if you are not expecting it. When it is safe pull over and call AAA, get someone to help you with your tire change if necessary.

When the breaks are on their way out they are squeaky and annoying. Grinding under the hood means that something is not right and that some lubrication is needed. I would take it to your local auto supply place, in Houston, they are everywhere.

What kind of vehicles are you eligible for? Most likely a used vehicle below a certain price, for example under 20,000 and you can expect to pay interest rates between 15 to 18%. Obviously this is much higher that a person with excellent credit would pay.

The FICO credit score is the way the lenders decide if one is a good credit risk or not. The numbers run from 300 to 850, this is as true here in Houston as it is in Honolulu

Your interest rate for a car is directly tied to their arbitrary score. Someone with a score of 720 or higher might be charges 3.80 for a 36 month car loan. A similar car loan for a lower scoring person, between 500-589, might be 17.02 %.

While it does take years to get your credit back on track, it is much easier to accomplish this after several years have passed and your finances are looking better.

Time will heal your poor credit rating and once you do qualify for a new car loan, things will look up. Due to the fact that the car loan has collateral, it is easy to see how making good on the new loan will better your credit rating post-bankruptcy.

The bank will go back and check your mortgage payments and check to see if their are any missing payments, especially as so many homes are now below water in regard to the value of the home and the mortgage owed.

There is a formula they use to see if your take- home or net income is large enough to support this new expense. If they feel it is fine, mostly likely they will allow the loan to be processed. If not, they may offer you a smaller sum of money in order to minimize the delinquency possibility, or they may require a larger down-payment.

If you have a history with the Credit Union, they are more likely to be willing to work with you. They are most likely to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Beware the auto companies who offer you better than usual auto financing. Most of these places are very aggressive in their marketing approach, and at the end of the head spinning ordeal you are even further into debt.

There are car companies that say that no credit check is needed, but why? Well, people who have not taken as many courses in finances as others still deserve another chance. Burn me once, shame on me? Burn me twice, shame on you. People deserve a second chance and these smaller dealerships might be the solution you are looking for.

No one likes to feel “judged” and to avoid that, some people may jump at the first company to appear the least bit sympathetic to their situation.

Sometimes the most obvious issue is not really apparent at first. If a dealer only has cars with very high mileage and you are to buy one of these cars. Cars with several hundred thousand miles, then you might end up with a car that you cannot afford to maintain and to keep running smoothly. So what is worse, paying too much down for a car or paying just as much over time? You decide.

There are certain things to keep in mind when it comes to buying a car. Some of which have been laid out before you in previous articles, some perhaps not. What you need to remember first and foremost is that you have choices. You can choose to purchase a car online, at a dealership or by a private party is up to you.

Once you have that down, then you need to figure out what you can afford, that will give you an idea of whether you will be looking for a new or used vehicle. If you wish to own a Chevy Silverado truck and you only have $15,000 to buy a car, or can finance that much comfortably, then you will need to look used vs. new. Not to worry, you can get some great deals on used cars in almost every market.

There are other questions to consider as well.

Is this the best time for you to buying a car? Is this something that is necesary for you at the moment? If it is, then after deciding how much you can afford and what type of vehicle you want, is what will you be using it for? I know people who have bought SUV’s with the dream of going out and off-roading, going hiking and camping every weekend and never do. They have paid for their dream with every additional mile and gallon of fuel that they purchased for their city driving needs. If you are a city dwelling person there are some cars that are more affordable to gas up and that are more efficient than a v8 monster of a truck that weighs ¾ of a ton. So, being realistic with your needs can save you money and a headache in the future.

Are you going new or used?

There are advantages to both options, it just depends on what your budget is and what you really want from a vehicle. Perhaps you can get a much better car, truck or SUV if you get something a few years older? You may be able to afford a much more elegant car with more features if it is used than new off the lot. Also, there are so many dealers that have pre-certified and pre-owned deals on used inventory, ensuring you additional peace of mind.

Test Drive your car

If you never have or have been intimidated to do so, then cut it out and get going. What better way to know what your future car is like then getting behind the wheel. Perhaps there is a disconnect between the car you think you want and the car that you actually love. Before you put your money where your mouth is, take the car you think you want out for a drive and confirm it.

Now that you have thought of all of these possible issues or possible scenarios then go out and enjoy the process. It should be fun and not a hassle, because every time you get into your new or used car you should be so excited to do so and not merely have a constant reminder that you got what you thought you wanted and not what you REALLY did.

Ever ask yourself whether it is best to get a new car or an older one? I suppose that if you own a car you may have, it is a question that many of us pose, here are some of the pros and cons of going new vs. old.

Advantages of Buying Used:

Depreciation: When you buy a new car your car depreciates every mile and every month you own it. The most dramatic depreciation happens almost immediately and in a few cases some cars depreciated more than 40 percent of their value within the first year of ownership. You will be able to buy a car that is great at a huge discount. As stated above, some cars lose up to 40% of their value in the first year, most cars are driven between 15,000-20,000 miles a year. You can get a higher priced and a better vehicle if you purchase one that is a year old. More bang for your buck. So, it allows you to enjoy your used car more, you will not be obsessing over the first rock chip or accidental scratch to the rims.

Insurance Rates: Insurance rates are less for used vehicles, similar to insurance rates are also affected. Since used cars are usually less expensive than new ones the cost to insure them is also less. Saving you additional money and allowing you the flexibility to make your dollar stretch even further.

Better Vehicle: When you purchase a used vehicle vs. a new one you can get more for your hard earned money. You will be able to get more features, more options and more gadgets for your dollar than if you bought a new car. Since you are limited to what is available you may have to look around and do the work to find exactly what you are looking for, but like all things worthwhile, its worth the work and the wait.

Price: If you were to do a side by side comparison between the price of a new vehicle and the same vehicle that is a year older, you will see that in some cases the differences externally are very few. But the price you would pay for one vs the other is substantial.

Advantages of Buying New:

What you want: Have you over looked at a car catalog? Maybe you have, maybe you have not. Imagine therefore that you at a restaurant and are hungry, you look the menu over and decide exactly what it is that you want. It is the same when you buy a new car, you get these sales packages that show you every feature and additional options, like rims, exterior and interior colors, upgrades to your brakes, upgrades in wood, leather, carbon fiber you name it.

Maintenance: When you buy a new car there might be anywhere between 0-1100 miles on it. That is it! It has gone from the assembly line to the transport to the lot, that is all it has ever been driven. A lot of new cars come with the need for little to no maintenance that is in addition to their regular scheduled ones that are usually free. When you buy a new car all types of warranties and services are thrown in to make the offer more attractive.

It is New: When you buy a new car, it is similar to getting a puppy vs a dog. With a dog you do not exactly know what to expect, you did not raise it, you were not there every step of the way. With a used car, you do not know how the car was treated, maintained and care for not to mention driven. You do not know if your car might suddenly stop working or why. When you buy new you are the only one who has driven it, you are in charge of all of it and can insure that the car runs well into the future.

Safety: Every few months there are safety features that are available and perhaps even standard that were not available or commercialized in later model cars. For example, curtain airbags, stability control, blind spot monitoring systems, brake assist and more. Some of these are available as add on’s when you purchase a new car, but for some added safety is always worth it.

Better for the Environment: With each passing year, there are more and more advance in the field of lessening the carbon footprint that we may inadvertently leave behind. Newer cars are more fuel efficient and have hybrid options and with each new generation are becoming more and more powerful while remaining good for the environment.

Warranty: A lot of new cars come with 100,000 mile warranty – that means that if something were to become a problem you would have no out of pocket costs, thus ultimately simultaneously giving you peace of mind, which onto itself if priceless.

Cool Features: With new cars there are new gadgets and gizmos, most of these are also available as aftermarket parts, but for those of you who would rather not have to worry about it and have someone do it for you, new is a great way to go.

Financing: You may get a better deal on financing if you get a new car as the value of the car is higher. Ensure that the APR and your payments are what you need them to be as to fully enjoy your possible new car.